Cooperative Work Experience Education (Co-op)

Oceanside, Building 3700: 760.795.6772

www.miracosta.edu/careers

Co-ops are designed to help students develop and improve their workplace competencies while undertaking expanded responsibilities and learning new skills at work. Students learn how to establish and achieve workplace goals and to assess how their goals and behaviors contribute to their development as professionals.

Students working in jobs related to their major should enroll in Occupational Cooperative Work Experience, which are the courses numbered 299 in a variety of career and technical education disciplines. Students who are undecided about their major or who are working in a field unrelated to their major should enroll in General Cooperative Work Experience, WKEX 233. Both types of co-op courses help students learn how to achieve the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need for career success. Students studying under the GI Bill receive benefits only for enrollment in occupational work experience courses. 

Students enrolled in any cooperative work experience course are required to do the following:

• Meet with the instructor at least twice at the worksite during the semester
• Work a minimum of 60 non-paid hours per unit or 75 paid hours per unit, for a maximum of 4 units per semester (occupational co-op only; 3 units is the maximum for general co-op) 
• Develop and meet learning objectives, complete assignments, and document monthly hours worked.

Specific information about the Co-op Program is available on the Career Center website.